Looking for help trying to plan an itinerary in Rome

[hrmkr]

We will be taking a cruise on the Norwegian Epic sailing from Civitavecchia on Wednesday, May 2. We will be arriving in Rome several days beforehand and staying 1 extra day afterwards before flying home. Trying to figure out what to do each day to see the most on our visit to Rome.

 

We will be arriving in Rome on Saturday, April 28 around 6:00 PM.

 

I know that I will be visiting the Vatican on Monday, April 30. Not sure which day to see the Colosseum and Forum. Here is sort of what I have come up with for an itinerary:

 

Sunday, April 29: We want to go to St. Peter's Square at noon to see the Pope and get the blessing. Other than that, nothing planned. Maybe see the Colosseum/Forum later in the day?

 

Monday, April 30: Visiting the Vatican, Sistene Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica in the morning. Tour already planned. Nothing else planned in the afternoon.

 

Tuesday, May 1: Knowing it is a national Holiday, not much is going to be open. We plan on walking around this day. Seeing the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Campo De Fieri and other general areas.

 

Wednesday, May 2: Going to Civitavecchia and boarding the ship. Haven't decided what time we are leaving. May have some time in the morning to look around.

 

Wednesday, May 9: Debark the ship. Coming back into Rome : I can book a tour of the Colosseum/Forum/Palantine Hills for around 3:00 for 3 hours.

 

Thursday, May 10: Fly home to US

 

The area that I need some help is trying to figure out to either visit the Colosseum either on Sunday or Monday afternoon after visiting the Vatican or for May 9 after arriving back in Rome after taking the cruise. Once decided, what to do the days not doing that tour? i am hitting many of the major tourist attractions. The Colosseum tour we want to take is any day starting at 3:00 PM.Trying to fill in the extra time.

 

Thank you to everyone that gives some advice/suggestions.

 

Howard

[elchichicuilote]

Sounds like you're going to see some sights and enjoy yourself no matter what. Rome is amazing. Allow plenty of time for the Forum and Palatine Hill.

 

Rome has so many churches that, in any other city in the world, would be considered marvelous and treasured centerpieces for their art, architecture, and history, but in Rome, they can almost go unnoticed in the shadow of the Vatican. Visit some of them if you can. Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore is beautiful. The Basilica di San Clemente is a medieval church that is built atop Pagan and Roman ruins. The Basilica di San Giovani in Laterano is spectacular, and happens to be the site of the Cadaver Synod (google this interesting chapter in church history).

 

An interesting building near the Vatican is the Castel Sant'Angelo. It was built as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian, but was converted to a fortress, then used as a Papal residence, and a prison, among other things. The papal apartments are well-restored. This place is not as crowded as many of the major attractions, but has a lot of beauty and history.

 

The Pantheon and Piazza Navona are also spots that are well worth a visit.

 

But the challenge with Rome is how to pick and choose. Don't run yourself ragged trying to fight the crowds and fit everything in with only a few days; be sure to spend some time relaxing in a less-crowded Piazza, eating at a pleasant sidewalk cafe, and taking in the scenery, food, smells, etc. Rome is full of smaller monuments and fountains that can be wonderful places to relax.

[hrmkr]

We will be seeing the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. We are staying in that area.

 

We do plan on taking it easy and sitting back and people watching and relaxing. Once we figure out what day we are visiting the Colosseum, I can make my lodging plans for the day we get back from the cruise. If we do it on May 9 after the cruise, we will stay in the Monti area overnight. Since we are staying near the Piazza Navona for 4 nights, might stay in a different area to check out the neighborhood. Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore is in the Monti area.

 

Thank you for the idea of seeing Castel Sant'Angelo. Maybe we can stop in there on Sunday before going over to St. Peter's Square since we will be in the neighborhood.

[rdt10]

When making your plans for Sunday and Monday make sure where you are going is open. Some sites are closed on those days. Also some churches close for a couple of hours mid-day, like San Pietro in Vincoli, which has Michelangelo's Moses.

If you enjoy statues, the Borghese Gallery is magnificent. Pre purchase tickets as they only allow 200 people for each 2 hour period so it sales out quickly.

Rome is a beautiful place and staying in the historic area you can walk to most of the sites.

[hrmkr]

Cruuisemom,

 

Can you give some ideas?

[cruisemom42]

It's nice that you've got a decent amount of time to see Rome without rushing. :)Here are some thoughts based on your itinerary's 'fixed points':

 

Sunday, April 29: We want to go to St. Peter's Square at noon to see the Pope and get the blessing. Other than that, nothing planned. Maybe see the Colosseum/Forum later in the day?

 

It could be crowded on a Sunday and a holiday weekend at the Forum and Colosseum. If you are okay with waiting, it probably makes more sense to do this when you get back from your cruise rather than today.

Some ideas of things to see on Sunday: Maybe consider a walk in Trastevere or through the old Roman Forum Boarium (alongside the Tiber). Trastevere has a nice neighborhood feel and a couple of churches with impressive mosaics and art worth a visit. The Forum Boarium would include several ancient Roman monuments including two ancient and well-preserved temples and of course a stop at the "Mouth of Truth" for a photo op!

I'm pretty sure there are a lot of guidebooks that can provide ideas for walking tours in these areas; I think Rick Steves is a good choice for initial visits.

Or....the ancient Appian Way is great on Sundays when it is mostly closed to traffic. This is where several of Rome's most famous catacombs complexes are located, along with being able to see and walk on the ancient Roman paving stones, see Roman tombs, etc. You could also rent bikes and do this, if that interests you.

 

Monday, April 30: Visiting the Vatican, Sistene Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica in the morning. Tour already planned. Nothing else planned in the afternoon.

 

It will be crowded at the Vatican on Mondays, since quite a few other museums in Rome are closed on that day. I hope your tour has an early start to avoid the worst of the crowds. Once you are done with your tour, you might also consider climbing the dome of St. Peters if the line isn't miserable. Also, as I mentioned in another post recently, it's worth visiting the Castel Sant'Angelo which is very near and has a fascinating history.

I'd spend the balance of the day rambling around the Piazza Navona/Campo dei Fiori area. You can cross the Tiber on foot via the beautiful Sant'Angelo bridge next to Castel Sant'Angelo: http://www.ourtravelpics.com/rome/rome_171.jpg

Tuesday, May 1: Knowing it is a national Holiday, not much is going to be open. We plan on walking around this day. Seeing the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Campo De Fieri and other general areas.

 

The Colosseum and Forum are open on May 1 but I imagine they would be mobbed. (And come to think of it, you'll likely face larger than usual crowds on Sunday and Monday as well as Italians tend to take a long weekend holiday.) There are sometimes demonstrations (peaceful) and also a concert in the afternoon/evening at San Giovanni in Laterano, so I would probably avoid the whole area near the ancient heart of Rome this day -- unless you want to be part of the festivities, but for sightseeing, not so much.

The Borghese Gallery is open on May 1, if you are interested. Reservations are needed. You could combine that with a nice stroll around the Borghese Park (also likely to be crowded with picnicking Romans) and the Spanish Steps area -- although I think the high-end shops will likely be closed....

 

Wednesday, May 2: Going to Civitavecchia and boarding the ship. Haven't decided what time we are leaving. May have some time in the morning to look around.

 

Depending on your hotel location, I could provide a suggestion or two of something to do in the morning before you depart. Are you getting a private transfer? Taking the train?

 

Wednesday, May 9: Debark the ship. Coming back into Rome : I can book a tour of the Colosseum/Forum/Palantine Hills for around 3:00 for 3 hours.

 

This sounds like a good idea. If you have extra time you could also visit (nearby):

-- Basilica of San Clemente (near Colosseum), excellent 'time capsule' church with Roman ruins in the basement

-- Baths of Caracalla -- best preserved Imperial baths and they now have a 3D experience that lets you see what it would have looked like 'back in the day'.

-- Capitoline Museum -- excellent Roman art including mosaics, frescoes, sculpture and the stunning original bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback that is a real favorite of mine

 

 

Thursday, May 10: Fly home to US

[hrmkr]

Cruisemom,

 

Thank you for your great suggestions and insight. I can answer some of your questions you had along with some other things.

 

Sunday- Is it easily walk able to go to Trastevere from the Vatican?

Is the Appian Way far from the area?

 

Monday- We are booking a tour with Walks of Italy (Pristine Sistene) that begins at either 7:30 or 8:00.

 

Tuesday - I like the idea of the Borghese Gallery and gardens. Was already considering that.

Wednesday (day we leave for the cruise)- We are staying at an airbnnb. The address is: Via degli Spagnoli 53. It is near the Piazza Navona and the Pantheon.

 

We are planning on taking a private transfer (Haven't yet decided which company to use)

 

What time would you suggest to leave? We need to be on the ship by 4:30 but would like to get on board early enough to be able to walk around and check things out before the muster drill and sail away. I know it is about a 1.5 hour drive to Civitavecchia from Rome.

 

Wednesday (day we come back to Rome)- We are thinking about staying in an Airbnb in the Monti area so we are close to the area. I like the ideas of visiting the other places near the Colosseum. We will have some time before our tour starts at 3:00. For the Colosseum, would you recommend the underground tour? It is about $50 more per person. The tour we will book does include going to the Arena floor.

 

Have I worn you down yet to give up at least 1 of your "special" restaurants? I am not greedy, just 1 not all of them...:) Seriously, trying to find a really nice restaurant in Rome. We will be celebrating our 25th Anniversary while on the trip and a great restaurant would be wonderful.

 

Thank you again for your help!

 

Howard

[cruisemom42]

Nope, not giving out "my" restaurants. :p But do look at Chowhound -- here's one particularly good thread with lots of recommendations in the Centro Storico, many of which I agree with: https://www.chowhound.com/post/october-2017-rome-report-long-1064422 Piperno would make for a nice evening out, as would Armando al Pantheon.

 

I haven't walked directly from the Vatican to Trastevere, but it would be about 45 minutes according to Google maps. A better option (to me anyway) would be to take either a taxi from the rank just outside the colonnade at St. Peter's basilica or take a bus. (Bus #23, for example, from Piazza Risorgimento -- you can see its route here: http://viaggiacon.atac.roma.it/?service=trovalinea&linea=23&percorso=23A#)

 

The Appian Way is on the other side of town, so you'd definitely need some transportation to get there. If you decide it's something you're interested in, chime in again and we can help with directions.

 

Good that you have an early morning start at the Vatican -- should make for a more pleasant visit there.

 

Regarding the timing to Civitavecchia -- I'd say leaving at noon (with private transportation) would be a good balance between having enough time to do something in the morning in Rome and still getting to the ship at a reasonable time.

 

Finally -- people ask often about the Colosseum and whether the special tour is worth it. I'm on the fence about it. I don't think it adds a lot to anyone's understanding of the space to see the underground areas at the Colosseum because they aren't that well preserved. (Unlike a couple of other amphitheaters I've visited...) But most people enjoy seeing them, along with the higher levels. I can understand the desire people have to see the space, just because of its history. So if it's something that interests you (or you have FOMO ;)), by all means do it.

[MCazer]

It's nice that you've got a decent amount of time to see Rome without rushing. :)Here are some thoughts based on your itinerary's 'fixed points':

 

Sunday, April 29: We want to go to St. Peter's Square at noon to see the Pope and get the blessing. Other than that, nothing planned. Maybe see the Colosseum/Forum later in the day?

 

It could be crowded on a Sunday and a holiday weekend at the Forum and Colosseum. If you are okay with waiting, it probably makes more sense to do this when you get back from your cruise rather than today.

Some ideas of things to see on Sunday: Maybe consider a walk in Trastevere or through the old Roman Forum Boarium (alongside the Tiber). Trastevere has a nice neighborhood feel and a couple of churches with impressive mosaics and art worth a visit. The Forum Boarium would include several ancient Roman monuments including two ancient and well-preserved temples and of course a stop at the "Mouth of Truth" for a photo op!

I'm pretty sure there are a lot of guidebooks that can provide ideas for walking tours in these areas; I think Rick Steves is a good choice for initial visits.

Or....the ancient Appian Way is great on Sundays when it is mostly closed to traffic. This is where several of Rome's most famous catacombs complexes are located, along with being able to see and walk on the ancient Roman paving stones, see Roman tombs, etc. You could also rent bikes and do this, if that interests you.

 

Monday, April 30: Visiting the Vatican, Sistene Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica in the morning. Tour already planned. Nothing else planned in the afternoon.

 

It will be crowded at the Vatican on Mondays, since quite a few other museums in Rome are closed on that day. I hope your tour has an early start to avoid the worst of the crowds. Once you are done with your tour, you might also consider climbing the dome of St. Peters if the line isn't miserable. Also, as I mentioned in another post recently, it's worth visiting the Castel Sant'Angelo which is very near and has a fascinating history.

I'd spend the balance of the day rambling around the Piazza Navona/Campo dei Fiori area. You can cross the Tiber on foot via the beautiful Sant'Angelo bridge next to Castel Sant'Angelo: http://www.ourtravelpics.com/rome/rome_171.jpg

Tuesday, May 1: Knowing it is a national Holiday, not much is going to be open. We plan on walking around this day. Seeing the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Campo De Fieri and other general areas.

 

The Colosseum and Forum are open on May 1 but I imagine they would be mobbed. (And come to think of it, you'll likely face larger than usual crowds on Sunday and Monday as well as Italians tend to take a long weekend holiday.) There are sometimes demonstrations (peaceful) and also a concert in the afternoon/evening at San Giovanni in Laterano, so I would probably avoid the whole area near the ancient heart of Rome this day -- unless you want to be part of the festivities, but for sightseeing, not so much.

The Borghese Gallery is open on May 1, if you are interested. Reservations are needed. You could combine that with a nice stroll around the Borghese Park (also likely to be crowded with picnicking Romans) and the Spanish Steps area -- although I think the high-end shops will likely be closed....

 

Wednesday, May 2: Going to Civitavecchia and boarding the ship. Haven't decided what time we are leaving. May have some time in the morning to look around.

 

Depending on your hotel location, I could provide a suggestion or two of something to do in the morning before you depart. Are you getting a private transfer? Taking the train?

 

Wednesday, May 9: Debark the ship. Coming back into Rome : I can book a tour of the Colosseum/Forum/Palantine Hills for around 3:00 for 3 hours.

 

This sounds like a good idea. If you have extra time you could also visit (nearby):

-- Basilica of San Clemente (near Colosseum), excellent 'time capsule' church with Roman ruins in the basement

-- Baths of Caracalla -- best preserved Imperial baths and they now have a 3D experience that lets you see what it would have looked like 'back in the day'.

-- Capitoline Museum -- excellent Roman art including mosaics, frescoes, sculpture and the stunning original bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback that is a real favorite of mine

 

 

Thursday, May 10: Fly home to US

 

 

Cruisemom42, you are so knowledgeable! Might I ask for some suggestions?

 

Will be flying into Rome October 18 and staying The evening before our cruise at Hotel Villa Delle Palme, Santa Marinella, cruising October 19-30 and then will spend two nights in Rome after our cruise from October 30-November 1, and are staying at

Al 325 rooms ai Fori Via Cavour 325, Rome, which is close to the Colsseum

 

We will be doing an in depth tour of the colosseum with access to below and all that it entails. (Colosseum/Forum/Palantine Hill)

We were just in Rome this past October and visited the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Castel Sant'Angelo, walked over two bridges and also did the Pantheon and Trevi fountain (all in one day, and our feet were tired!)

 

Anyway, we will be in Rome for Halloween, and was wondering if there is anything that we should not miss? And is there something we should see close to our hotel that is a must see but perhaps not the usual touristy thing?

 

We are looking forward to just meandering, people watching, wine drinking and eating, so any suggestions are much appreciated.

Edited January 27, 2018 by MCazer
Typos

[cruisemom42]

Cruisemom42, you are so knowledgeable! Might I ask for some suggestions?

 

Will be flying into Rome October 18 and staying The evening before our cruise at Hotel Villa Delle Palme, Santa Marinella, cruising October 19-30 and then will spend two nights in Rome after our cruise from October 30-November 1, and are staying at

Al 325 rooms ai Fori Via Cavour 325, Rome, which is close to the Colsseum

 

We will be doing an in depth tour of the colosseum with access to below and all that it entails. (Colosseum/Forum/Palantine Hill)

We were just in Rome this past October and visited the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Castel Sant'Angelo, walked over two bridges and also did the Pantheon and Trevi fountain (all in one day, and our feet were tired!)

 

Anyway, we will be in Rome for Halloween, and was wondering if there is anything that we should not miss? And is there something we should see close to our hotel that is a must see but perhaps not the usual touristy thing?

 

We are looking forward to just meandering, people watching, wine drinking and eating, so any suggestions are much appreciated.

 

It looks like you are well situated given that you've already covered most of the Vatican area. You're located near most of the Roman ruins, obviously, so if you have an interest beyond the usual Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill, there are a lot of sites in the area. The top three things I'd recommend in that category would be (not in any particular order):

 

Capitoline Museums -- wonderful collection of mostly Roman-era sculptures, mosaics, frescoes, etc. Plus you get to walk through the room that once served as the Tabularium of ancient Rome (where all the laws were kept) and there's a great overlook over the Forum area. The statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback alone is worth the entry -- he has his own (very large) room.

 

Baths of Caracalla -- hands-down the best preserved Imperial baths -- you really can imagine how grand they must have been (plus there is a new "virtual reality" tour there, so it makes it even easier to see how it was...)

 

Museum of the Imperial Forums (Musei de Fori Imperiali) -- This overlooked museum has great displays on ALL of the Roman Forums (in addition to the one everyone knows and visits, there are the Forums of Caesar, of Augustus, of Nerva and of Trajan). The real draw though is that you get to actually go into and walk around the markets and some of the Forum of Trajan -- it's great and you feell like you're walking in ancient Rome. Much less of a crowd there, too.

 

Some other ideas:

 

The Basilica of San Clemente is also nearby and worth a visit, with its three different levels from different time periods, each one fascinating.

 

Also, after many years the Circus Maximus (seen to best advantage from a viewpoint on Palatine Hill) has been reopened, including some excavations there. I'm not sure if it's a must, probably more for real afficionados of ancient Rome...

 

Regarding Halloween, it's only really become a "thing" in Italy (in the American sense of the celebration) in the last decade or so. I'm not aware of any particular "don't miss" activities -- every year it seems like there are some parties at various clubs, etc. If you're interested, you could check blogs like this one for Halloween happenings: https://www.romeing.it/halloween-in-rome/

 

 

Don't forget to say: "Dolcetto o scherzetto" ("Sweet or joke"; the Italian version of "Trick or treat").

[MCazer]

It looks like you are well situated given that you've already covered most of the Vatican area. You're located near most of the Roman ruins, obviously, so if you have an interest beyond the usual Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill, there are a lot of sites in the area. The top three things I'd recommend in that category would be (not in any particular order):

 

Capitoline Museums -- wonderful collection of mostly Roman-era sculptures, mosaics, frescoes, etc. Plus you get to walk through the room that once served as the Tabularium of ancient Rome (where all the laws were kept) and there's a great overlook over the Forum area. The statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback alone is worth the entry -- he has his own (very large) room.

 

Baths of Caracalla -- hands-down the best preserved Imperial baths -- you really can imagine how grand they must have been (plus there is a new "virtual reality" tour there, so it makes it even easier to see how it was...)

 

Museum of the Imperial Forums (Musei de Fori Imperiali) -- This overlooked museum has great displays on ALL of the Roman Forums (in addition to the one everyone knows and visits, there are the Forums of Caesar, of Augustus, of Nerva and of Trajan). The real draw though is that you get to actually go into and walk around the markets and some of the Forum of Trajan -- it's great and you feell like you're walking in ancient Rome. Much less of a crowd there, too.

 

Some other ideas:

 

The Basilica of San Clemente is also nearby and worth a visit, with its three different levels from different time periods, each one fascinating.

 

Also, after many years the Circus Maximus (seen to best advantage from a viewpoint on Palatine Hill) has been reopened, including some excavations there. I'm not sure if it's a must, probably more for real afficionados of ancient Rome...

 

Regarding Halloween, it's only really become a "thing" in Italy (in the American sense of the celebration) in the last decade or so. I'm not aware of any particular "don't miss" activities -- every year it seems like there are some parties at various clubs, etc. If you're interested, you could check blogs like this one for Halloween happenings: https://www.romeing.it/halloween-in-rome/

 

 

Don't forget to say: "Dolcetto o scherzetto" ("Sweet or joke"; the Italian version of "Trick or treat").

 

Wonderful information! And I have some research to do. I love the idea of walking in Ancient Rome. Thank you!

 

Have to research my other stops as well, Florence is another stop we want to make (arriving in Livorno)

 

So many beautiful places to see! Lucky me!

[cruisemom42]

By the way, you are staying very near a nice wine bar, Cavour 313 (this is the name AND the address); nice atmosphere, great wine choices by the glass (which I appreciate as a solo traveler). They also serve good locally-sourced food -- great place for a light supper. It can get very crowded though as it has become more popular through the years I've been going there. So either reserve or be willing to wait if going at meal-times.

[epixx]

 

I haven't walked directly from the Vatican to Trastevere, but it would be about 45 minutes according to Google maps.

 

We stayed at Hotel Santa Maria in Trastevere and walked back and forth from the Vatican multiple times. Yes; the Google maps estimate is just about right for the timing. It's a fabulously beautiful walk, and I highly recommend it. I also recommend stopping at the Villa Farnesina along the way, but check the opening times.